Awesome testimony! Expect more 'miracles' because you have a positive and practical mindset. EmmyToluwa:
LONG POST ALERT!!!
Hello all!!! I have been a silent follower of this thread though I have posted a few times in the past. I just felt it is important I share my landing experience so far so that people can learn from our experience. my time line follows:
1. Bought tickets October 3rd (please note not a mistake, na faith and good deal)
2. Got PPR November 8th 2017 (after 8 months of wait)
3. COPR and passport returned November 27th (I had sent out our passport November 13th).
4. Landed in Toronto 17th February with my wife and son via Ethiopian Airlines, and received by my friend who took us to his place in London (we are still in his house at the moment), Ontario. The landing procedure was a bit slow as we landed on a Saturday and the customs officials were not so fast. Because of this we couldn't get our SIN and our PR card was not processed also as we couldn't remember the friend's postal code. The customs officer we met was a nice woman, she even gave us her phone to call my friend who had been waiting outside. They didn't check our bags and she asked us to sign Goods to follow forms as I was sending food over from Naija. To cut long story short, we reached London, ON around 2:16pm as it is a 2hr drive from Toronto.
5. On Sunday 17th February, we followed my friend to his church, a white dominated church, and after the service we were introduced as first-timers, this was where our miracle began. The woman (my angel actually) that attended to us, also an immigrant (from El Salvador) happened to be an HR manager at one of the Top 5 banks in Canada and while we were talking about our induction process in church got to know that we just arrived in Canada the day before asked about our employment status and I told her we will start to look for jobs once we are settled. Well na so she told me her bank would be having a career fair for job seekers and she will want to me to attend. I was like wetin I dey do wey I no go fit go?? I don reach there self!!!
6. Monday 19th was a public holiday (Family day, please note no be only naija we like holiday o....dem get holiday pass us for here sef).
7. Tuesday, 20th February, my friend drove us to Service Canada. We got our SIN and the woman we spoke with gave us the procedure to submit address for PR card. We went from there to Scotia bank to open account and got $3000 in credit card immediately to start credit history.
8. Wednesday 21st, we went to get phones. This we did under my friend's plan as those ppl didn't want to give phone to a newcomer on plan. Well I didn't mind, I sha got iPhone 8 to pay over 24months.
9. Thursday 22nd February, I was home all through applying and reading for my CPA conversion. I had aready started this from Naija. We also got a a very good laptop at a crazy price from Kijiji, for here kijiji and Facebook market place are your friends. I know there are other good ones too! We did not really look for house as my friend said he will introduce us to a friend who is an expert at settling new comers, including house and other things.
10. Friday 23rd, I attended the TD bank Career fair and it was fun, I told my interviewer I willing to start with them but they have to know that I am more qualified than the entry level job they are recruiting for. The woman said she understands, but that if selected, I have to be patient with them because they have a 1-yr period of assessing new intakes before determining if you can move up the ladder. Come and see me as I dey speak phone wey I no say na lie. I come dey dictate when I neva even do test let alone interview. The woman said they will get back if they feel say my skills and experience allign with their available roles.
11. Saturday/Sunday, we were home applying for jobs and adjusting CV. Oh I missed out the part where the my angel said I should send her my CV so that she can fine tune it to the way TD bank likes candidate's CVs to be like. So this was the CV i took to the CF on Friday.
12. Monday, 26th I received an email that I should complete an online assessment which I did like 36 hrs later as I was visiting friends and still dropping CVs to companies and also visited Access Center for bridging programs (another story).
13. Wedneday 28th Febraury, I received a call fro TD bank HR inviting me for an interview on Friday. I called my angel immediately and she immediately sent me their interview format to use, She said I should practice many times infront of a mirror. Well I did.
14. Thursday, we went to check our first house and the agent/lanlord were very willing to give us the apartment because of the friend of my friend. The only issue was that we have to wait one month for the current tenant to vacate and for repair works to be done. For my mind, I was wondering what was there to repair, everything looks good!!!
15. Yesterday, March 2nd, I was at TD bank with 6 other candidates, infact na then I know say naija peeps dey waka. of the 7, 3 of us were Nigerians. The interview was in 4 stages, role play, group assignment, assessment and a one-one interview. At the end, I was drained but yet fulfilled in a way I couldn't explain. The HR lady told us to expect feed backs and possible appointments by next week.
16. This afternoon, my friend and I went to drop another friend who was travelling to the US and on our way back I was telling him our my confidence has dropped since the interview and I was feeling they might be calling to tell me no. See Satan!!!
As we got back home, my phone rang and it was the HR recruiter with her nice voice. She asked me what I tot about the interviews and I how tot I performed. My heart wan cut, i tot this is it, maybe they have rejected me. I told her I learnt alot and also that I am confident my skills and experience are well aligned with the role. And then I heard, WELL I AM HAPPY TO INFORM YOU THAT WE ARE OFFERING YOU A CONDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT!! I shouted!!! The thing just be like say I dey dream. I was like I neva even get house, I don get job. All the things the woman dey talk I no even hear, I was just too happy.
So my peeps, na so our tory be so far so. Na so God show say Na HIM be the REAL GOD oooo. Much as this is an entry level job, I am happy I can quickly have my CV updated with a Canadian Experience.
I pray we all have good stories to tell in this Canadian dream!!! |
Travel › Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant by DelStar: 5:44am On Mar 04, 2018
